


The Nest

by Spotted_Newt



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:16:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29698356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spotted_Newt/pseuds/Spotted_Newt
Summary: In which one compassionate dragon decides the clones are just odd little hatchlings in need of a mother, and single-handedly saves the galaxy.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 40





	The Nest

“Come on, move it, move it!”

Cody dodged another blaster bolt and fired at the nearest droid, shouting for his men to follow. They’d been ambushed in a mountain pass, sheer cliffs on either side and no cover except for the boulders haphazardly strewn about. Chances of any of them making it out alive had dropped significantly, but they were clones, and clones don’t go down without a fight.

So Cody ran and ducked and dodged and directed his brothers, hoping that at least some of them would make it through the pass to meet up with the General and the 501st on the other side.

“Sir!” That was Spotter’s voice. “There’s a cave opening up ahead!”

A cave. Cody ran the odds in his head. If they ducked into the cave systems they could block the entrance and keep the seppies out. It would give them some cover, and a base to hold with stone at their backs and a roof over their heads. On the other hand, they could get trapped, and slowly die of dehydration or oxygen deprivation.

A shiny went down with a cry. Cody made his choice.

“Everyone in!”

What remained of the group dashed for the cave, then turned and fired at the the mouth to knock down boulder fragments and block up the entrance. A few droids were crushed in the process with a satisfying crunch.

The clones stood panting for a few tense seconds, weapons ready, waiting to see if the seppies would punch through. None did.

Instead, a deep rumble from behind caught Cody’s attention, and he turned just in time to see a large reptilian head swing down from the ceiling. A head that was attached to a neck thicker than three brother combined, which stretched across the cavern to a body that would have dwarfed a fleet of star fighters.

“Well,” Waxer commented. “Least we won’t be killed by clankers.”

<><><>

Vibrations in the stone woke her.

They had been far off at first, the distant rumble of migrating animals, nothing of concern. She’d already eaten today, and had no desire to do extra hunting. The migrating beasts had nothing to fear from her.

But then the steps had quickened, which was odd, and they were accompanied by distinctly not beast-like sounds that echoed through the caves. There was a scent of blood on the air, and death, and a mixture of fear and grim determination. That was certainly curious. She considered whether it was worth checking out, whether she really wanted to leave the cozy stalactites she had curled between.

And then the beasts came to her, spilling through the entrance to her cave, all loud shouting and flashes of light. She watched as they made the entrance crumble, crushing the bloodless beasts that hunted them.

Ugh. Moving rubble was such an annoying chore. She’d have to take a whole afternoon to clean up the mess.

The critters smelled of relief, their quick little breaths slowing as the hunters didn’t break through. Lights appeared on their heads, turning this way and that, drawing paths across the cavern walls.

The light glinted off their shells in little flashes of white and gold. Their shells were shiny like the scales of newly hatched dragonets. Her own scales had long ago dulled into the smooth matte of adulthood, loosing the shine that hatchlings sported.

She swung her head down to get a better look at the odd hatchlings. Her movement must have disturbed them, because they all turned quickly, and the air filled with the scent of alarm. One of them said something, its voice young and squeaky, and another replied in a voice just as young.

They really were just hatchlings, weren’t they? Strange, confused hatchlings, being hunted by the bloodless monsters that often crossed the mountain pass.

She huffed. The hatchlings tensed at the noise, raising their blasting devices, one muttering terse orders to the others. He must be the oldest, the leader of the clutch. There was blood on his shell, though it didn’t smell like it belonged to him.

She rumbled, a low, sad noise. How many hatchlings had been killed?

Well. No more. These hatchlings were lost and alone and in danger, and she was more than happy to care for them.

She dropped down from the ceiling, careful not to crush any of the hatchlings under her talons. They leapt back, pressing together, and a couple fired their blasting devices. The shots glanced harmlessly off her scales, which seemed to alarm and enrage the hatchlings more.

She stretched her neck forward and snatched up the oldest hatchling, holding him gently in her mouth, much to the dismay of the others. The one in her mouth squirmed and squeaked and beat against her lip and fired his device. Cranky little thing. And silly. She was well used to dealing with squirming hatchlings.

She scooped up another two, one in each of her hands, and coiled her tail gently around a third. They all reacted exactly like the oldest, entirely resistant to being carried, but she held them securely and then leapt into the air.

She flew up, up through a tunnel, careful not to let her tail swing lest she bump the hatchling she held with it. After a few short wingbeats she turned to the side and swooped down into a bowl carved into the rock, landing carefully on her hind feet. She lowered her head and her hands and gently placed the hatchlings in her nest.

They seemed rather bewildered, which was fine, because hopefully that meant they wouldn’t climb out of the nest and fall to their deaths while she fetched the others.

“Stay here,” she rumbled, though she doubted they would understand, and then she turned and leapt back down towards the main cave.


End file.
